Chapter 7: A Fragile Friendship

There was a traffic accident on the way back that forced the tram to stop for half an hour. By the time Sonya returned to the academy, it was already past 7 p.m. According to the rules, Sword and Roses University prohibited entry after 7 p.m. If students returned late, they had to register their names. After accumulating three late returns, they would be given a thorn penalty. If they received up to three thorns, they would be expelled from the academy.

However, with Sonya's soft explanation, the young gatekeeper directly let her in without registering her name. Noticing the penetrating, vulgar gaze from the gatekeeper that seemed to see through her clothes, Sonya smiled politely on the surface but scorned him in her heart.

Does he really think that being a gatekeeper at Swords and Roses University somehow makes him qualified to approach the pretty female students? He doesn’t even know his own place. No wonder he’s just a gatekeeper.

Sonya was well aware from a young age that her beauty could bring her advantages, but it was not until she came to Cailleach that she realized just how much power beauty held. Compared to that impoverished village, the civilized people in the city were willing to provide more conveniences for beauty.

At times like this, Sonya would sincerely thank the Starry Lord. It was thanks to the Lord’s efforts in developing the Starry Kingdom into such a prosperous, flourishing civilization that she had the chance to slip into high society.

If she had been in one of those barbaric lands without the canopy of civilization, her budding beauty would probably have been seized as spoils of war the moment it began to bloom.

She was also grateful to her mother. If her mother had forced her to work in the fields instead of letting her study at home when she was young, no matter how beautiful she might have been, the sun and wind would have turned her into a rough country girl.

Sonya returned to the female dormitory. Just as she reached for the door, she caught Louisa’s voice. “It’s past seven already. That country girl probably won’t be back tonight,

huh

?

Hmph

, she’s finally showing her true colors. Bet she’s off seducing some rich merchant.”

Sonya froze and listened quietly to Louisa’s petty fury.

Oh? Did I just walk into the classic dormitory-backstabbing scene?

Adele feigned concern. “Louisa, stop... she could come back any second.”

“Let her! I want to call her out on her shamelessness right to her face!” Louisa got more and more angry as she spoke. “It's only because you haven't seen how slutty she is, and how she bats her eyes at others even in class. Other than having a pretty face, what’s so impressive about a country girl like her?"

Sonya sneered coldly in her heart.

Hmph, being prettier than you is impressive enough.

Of all her roommates, Louisa disliked her the most. She came from a local merchant family in Cailleach and took great pride in her looks. She usually made veiled jabs at Sonya’s humble origins. But Sonya was prettier. On occasions when they were together, the number of boys interested in Sonya far outnumbered those who paid attention to Louisa.

In their first year, they still kept up a veneer of peace. It wasn’t until Sonya outshone Iris and claimed the MC position at a school event that Louisa’s hostility toward her became full-blown.

Louisa wasn’t innocent either. She deliberately organized several social events for the Water Sorcerer Department and even treated her fellow water sorcerers to lavish meals at upscale restaurants, all while leaving Sonya out.

After this display of wealth, Louisa’s number of admirers grew as well. After all, both men and women were drawn to shortcuts. Sonya was beautiful, but marrying a rich and glamorous girl like Louisa could mean saving ten years of struggle.

In terms of money, Sonya couldn’t compete. But she had a knack for getting under people’s skin.

Whenever a male admirer Louisa fancied appeared, Sonya would engineer a “chance encounter.” She’d "accidentally" make slight physical contact with him and give him flirtatious glances. That alone was often enough to captivate him, sometimes even making him abandon Louisa in pursuit of Sonya instead.

The reason Louisa had exploded tonight was that yesterday, Sonya had "poached" a senior who had been pursuing her.

Deep down, Sonya looked down on Louisa’s taste in men. That senior was useless and full of himself, despite his good looks. But to get under Louisa’s skin, she didn’t mind batting her eyelashes at him.

While Sonya would certainly reject their advances, there was no way Louisa could tolerate being with "trash that even a country girl like Sonya didn’t want." It was no surprise she’d get so furious that she was practically screeching.

Adele recalled, “Speaking of which, I heard Disley say she saw Sonya talking to a peasant woman outside the campus at noon. Could that woman be her mother?”

“

Hmph

. With a daughter that shameless, her mother is probably no better—”

Clang!

Before Sonya could lose control and storm in at them, a loud metallic noise rang from inside the room.

She quickly took a half step back. Moments later, the dormitory door opened from within, and a blonde ponytailed girl carrying a sword bag stepped out.

"Good evening, Sonya," she said.

"Good evening, Angelica," Sonya replied.

Angelica left without even glancing back, likely heading to the training grounds for some late-night practice, while Adele and Louisa remained inside, still looking stunned.

On the training dummy that Angelica had brought into the dorm, Sonya spotted a new dent that hadn’t been there before.

After that, Sonya stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. Silence settled over the dormitory once more.

Since Angelica had taught them a lesson on her behalf, Sonya chose not to step in herself. But she made a mental note of this debt.

Sooner or later, Louisa will have to repay it in full, with interest.